Google+ Events Today's New Google Feature

Google+, the social network Google is integrating into almost all of its other Web services, is rolling out a new feature today: Events. The idea is to make scheduling events and keeping track of the details (attendees, photos, etc.) a breeze.
Creating an event
To create an event, simply head to your Google+ page. Click on Events in the left-hand side menu to open the details window.
There are a lot of stock pictures with small animations -- called "cinegraphs" -- added by default in the theme section at the top of the window, and they look pretty good. You'll find choices for cookouts, dinners, weddings, nightclubs, beaches, and so on. Pick your favorite or best-fitting cinegraph.

Creating a Google+ Event.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Enter a title for your event, like "Cookout and beach time!" then adjust the invite settings so you can control who is inviting people to the event you're creating. Select a date and time for the event, and also a location. If you start typing in the box for location, Google will try to assist you by linking the Google Maps entry. You can add a description in the next text box. This area is good if you need to provide special instructions like what to bring, parking, or dress code. Finally you can add the people you want to invite to your event. Start typing a friend's name and Google+ will auto-complete it for you.
After all the setup, you'll be presented with a beautifully formatted event page.

Google+ event page.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Attending Events
When you get invited to an event in Google+, you'll see a drop-down box at the top right-hand corner of the event information that lets you select your RSVP status. Before making your RSVP official, you can hover over the "Are you going?" button (see screenshot below). This will give you the option to check your availability in Google Calendar or see directions on a map that appears.

How to RSVP for an Google Event.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jennifer Guevin/CNET)

On the Google Event page, you and your guests will have the option to invite other people (over on the right side of the page).

How to invite other people to Google Events (click to enlarge screenshot).

(Credit: Screenshot by Jennifer Guevin/CNET)

Sharing photos
This next part is arguably the coolest feature in Google Events, and it's what the company spent the majority of the time on when describing Events at today's Google I/O keynote. During an event, attendees can share their photos in real time. For this, you'll need to download the new Google+ app for Android, then turn on what's called Party Mode. This mode lets you automatically upload videos and photos to the event page, sharing them with all other attendees. You'll also be able to see whatever photos other attendees take and upload.

After the event, you can continue to upload photos to your user "folder" either from your phone or your PC. An e-mail will be sent to attendees not using Google+ to ask them to upload theirs as well. If this feature catches on, it could be the first time in the history of parties that everyone taking photos at an event actually shares photos to one repository.
Whether it's a social event or work function, keeping track of everyone's photos and RSVP status is a snap with Google+ Events.
Check out the other announcements made at Google I/O 2012.

Beef Up Your Sales Strategy tips

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There’s no need to be scared of selling; it’s something that should be an integral part of every business. Startups are often focused on creating a great product. This is crucial to the success of any business. However, it is equally important to be able to convey the greatness of your product and company to the right people, in a way that makes them want to do business with you. Fail to sell your product effectively, and you sell your business short. If you have a solid product, it is important to be talking to the right people. Here are seven tips for closing deals.

1. Identify Your Targets

It’s easy to get carried away when promoting a product that you’re passionate about. It’s important to first identify those individuals whose organizations will get you the most traction. Creating a list prevents you from spending time chasing targets who will do little to help you. Remember, it’s easy to get distracted, so stick to your goals, and be strategic.

2. Make a Plan

Make sure you know your targets thoroughly and understand what drives them. You need to have a proposal in mind that you think will fit in with their motivations and concerns, so try to predict their needs. If necessary, talk to people who are in the same industry or close to the decision makers to get a feel for what will move the needle for them.
Sketch out a deal structure that will pander to their motivations and dull their concerns. This needn’t deviate from your own plans. For example, lengthening deal contracts in return for a larger sign-up bonus is one way of compromising. You’ll be surprised at how framing your deal differently can affect your target’s perception.

3. Network

Now that you’ve identified your targets and know what motivates them, you need to get close. On a basic level, start with LinkedIn to see whether you have mutual connections who may be able to introduce you. If you’re lucky and you have strong connections, you’ll get a good head start. However, the more face time you have, the easier it is to build rapport and trust. As such, find out where you can best approach your targets — at events, in Starbucks or even on the beach. Wherever they are, you need to know and you need to be there (no stalking, though!).

4. Pick Up the Phone

Face time is better than a telephone call, and telephone calls are better than emails. It’s easier to convey your message and capture your target’s attention verbally than in written form. Emails are easy to ignore and discard — particularly if you receive hundreds of them per day. Make sure to set aside enough time to hit the phones and cold call. After all, a cold call is still much more effective than a cold email.

5. Listen

Epictetus wisely said, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” The most common mistake in sales is to talk without listening. Not only do people appreciate being listened to, but you can use your target’s response to craft a pitch that addresses them directly. Watch out for negative responses, such as “I’m not sure” or “I’ll have to think about it” — such responses indicate uncertainty and should be avoided. Take a second to craft a more careful response.

6. Don’t Be Afraid

Don’t be afraid to challenge — this shows you’re thoughtful and resourceful. If you’re pitch is responded to with negativity, don’t be afraid to ask why. Unless you ask, you won’t know what’s wrong. Often you’ll be surprised by the answer and be able to address the concern before it becomes a rejection.
Don’t be afraid to close. You need to let your target know what you want, or your conversation may become confusing. Feel free to be direct if you feel your message has been received positively. A short statement or summary confirming how future progress will be defined sets goals and puts you both on same page. For example, “Great! All I need now from you is a check for $9,000 and we can get started right away!” This way your target has understood what is required of them and will respond in a way that lets you know where you stand.

7. Follow Up

Nothing happens without a pipeline. Even a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesperson has to build a pipeline; it’s just a simple fact of sales. You need to stay on top of your contacts and make sure you stay in touch on a regular basis. Regular contact ensures that a target thinks about you when he’s ready to proceed with the deal, or you may be alerted to changes in circumstances that provide an opportunity for you.
Make sure that you remember the details — “How was Paris? I bet it was amazing!” These details are conversation starters and show that you really care about the person beyond closing the deal. The more frequently you call or email, the more important it is to stay on top of the details.
What are your tips for closing deals? Let us know in the comments below.

Tech Concepts Changing the World

These companies are tapping into the public’s power to change the world through tech, whether it’s encouraging others to take up the challenge of living below the poverty line or helping teens give back to their local communities. While the companies are diverse, they are all on a mission to change our lives for the better and improve society.
Here’s a final roundup of the series, including exclusive video interviews with the founders of these innovative startups. To read more and watch the videos, click through to the full story, and check out the series and the roundups below to learn about more breakthrough companies.

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1. Live Below the Line

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Big Idea: Live Below the Line is an international challenge and social media campaign that asks participants to live below the poverty line, on a budget of $1.50 per day for five days.
Why It’s Working: The challenge is in its infancy, but it has already seen 25,000 users take it on, including celebrities such as Josh Groban and Malin Akerman. Funds raised through Live Below the Line have gone to many international charities focused on hunger and the developing world, including UNICEF and Malaria No More.

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2. She’s the First

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Big Idea: She’s the First is an international organization that inspires millennials to host fundraisers for girls seeking education in the developing world.
Why It’s Working: The company is growing dramatically, from sponsoring 36 girls in its first year of operation to 136 last year. In 2012, the nonprofit hopes to sponsor 300 girls in the developing world.

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3. Clean Currents

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Big Idea: Clean Currents offers businesses and residents clean energy at prices on par or below their utility company’s rates.
Why It’s Working: The green energy company has built a social media following by offering Facebook rewards, enticing young brand advocates to convince their parents to switch to green energy.

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4. Do Something

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Big Idea: DoSomething.org is a platform that mobilizes teens to effect social change. Issues range from recycling to teaching senior citizens how to use the Internet to bullying.
Why It’s Working: By creating campaigns that don’t require money, an adult or a car, DoSomething.org empowers teenagers to help others and do good.

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5. Asahi Kasei & Code d’Urgence

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Big Idea: Asahi Kasei developed an RFID-enabled cellphone charm to hold medical records and important health care information, while France’s Code d’Urgence created a QR code with similar abilities.
Why It’s Working: Mobile electronic medical records are the way of the future and can be crucial in the event of an emergency. These tools are highly mobile, and they equip individuals with their medical history wherever they go.

Social Media Beginner’s Guide By SagarGanatra

Whether it’s keeping up on the latest web memes on Reddit or Tumblr, following your favorite comedians on Twitter, professionally networking on LinkedIn, or staying in touch with college friends on Facebook, social media has become an integrated and constant part of our everyday lives.
To digital natives, it may be difficult to imagine a world where these tools aren’t at our fingertips, but the fact is, new users join these services every day. For the uninitiated, check out our beginner’s guides to get started on Tumblr, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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1. The Beginner’s Guide to Tumblr

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This micro-blogging platform brings together bloggers, brands and tastemakers. Whether you want to create your own content or curate and share the stuff on the web you dig the most, Tumblr give you a user-friendly, beautiful way to get started.
If you’re already comfortable tumbling, check out these our tips and tricks for power users:

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2. The Beginner’s Guide to LinkedIn

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It may not be the sexiest social network out there, but LinkedIn now has 161 million members in more than 200 countries, making it the world’s largest professional network on the web. Our beginner’s guide will walk you through everything you need to tackle today’s job market, from creating a profile to finding professional organizations and applying for jobs directly from the site.
Already have a profile? Our tips for advanced users will show you how to get even more out of LinkedIn:

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3. The Beginner’s Guide to Reddit

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Reddit is the web’s most popular message board. If you’re new to the site, you may be overwhelmed by the mishmash of text links, comment threads, points and upvotes but sticking with it reveals what really distinguishes Reddit: its community. Our guide takes you through the Reddit culture, how to submit a story, upvoting and downvoting user submissions and more.
Once you’ve posted a couple of stories to the site, check out what other Redditors have been able to do with this social network:

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4. The Beginner’s Guide to Facebook

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As the world’s largest social network, Facebook boasts 900 million users worldwide. But even if you’re already on Facebook, there’s plenty aspects of the service that are worth reviewing. Our guideline recaps the network’s main features and policies.
For a more in-depth look at the world’s most popular social network, check out these additional resources:

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5. The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter

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Share news updates, links or one-liners 140 characters at a time with this social platform, which lets you communicate with and follow people from around the world. Our beginner’s walkthrough takes you through everything you need to get tweeting, from creating a profile to retweeting and direct messaging.
Racking up followers faster than Ashton Kutcher? Check out these pro tips to stay on top of your Twitter game:

WednesdayThe Internet Changes Most People Won’t Notice

With IP addresses now depleted, the Internet Society is leading the launch of IPv6 to allow the web to continue growing.
Without adopting IPv6, people surfing the web will have to go through a transitional gateway before entering a non-updated site using IPv4, making the experience slower. On launch day Wednesday, website owners are encouraged to permanently enable IPv6 — the next generation of Internet protocol.
“World IPv6 Launch Day is a lot larger than people understand,” John Curran, president and CEO of the American Registry for Internet Numbers, told  in an email. “IPv6 is the single largest upgrade in the history of the Internet. It’s not a small decision for the major content providers to turn on IPv6 and leave it on.
“Going forward, Internet users will be forced to go through transition gateways to reach businesses that do not similarly upgrade by adding IPv6 connectivity, with the result being slower connections and services for their customers,” Curran added.” The good news is that done properly, Internet users globally will not notice any significant difference in their daily lives.”
Hundreds of organizations are making the switch — Google, Facebook and Time Warner Cable, to name a few.
Internet Service Providers will be able to use IPv6 to connect new customers to the web, while existing customers are unlikely to notice a change. Companies and websites should speak with their ISP or hosting company to get IPv6 turned on their existing Internet connection.
News of IPv6 and the lack of available IP addresses with IPv4 was announced in February 2011.

The Use Social Media for Employee Referrals

 
The war for talent is more competitive than ever. Every company wants the best and the brightest on its team, but traditional candidate sourcing methods may not cut it anymore. As companies, we have to be bold, we have to put ourselves on the line and, most importantly, we have to sell our culture harder than in the past.
That’s where you, the already-employed professional, come in. More than ever, recruiters and hiring managers are looking to their internal network to help them find the right fit. After all, the real cost of a hire can be around $100,000, when you factor in the non-direct costs, such as training and the productivity lost in finding a new employee and bringing him up to speed.
Many workers are passive candidates, meaning that they are silently looking or waiting for an attractive offer. And, there’s a large chance your friends are lumped into this group.
Pair that with the explosion of social networking and we have a recipe for talent acquisition success. Apart from a status update here and there, you can use social media to help your friends find jobs and earn anywhere between $1,000 to $15,000 as a referral bonus from your company. Check out these tips to get the most out of your friend circle.

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1. Look Beyond Your First Degree of Connections

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No matter what industry you’re in, you probably have tons of connections through your social networks. However, it may be in your company’s best interest to go past the base-level when you’re trying to help your friends find jobs. The right fit may lie beyond your direct connections, but you’d never know this if you just skim the surface.
Many social networks allow you to see beyond your primary network. For example, Facebook “suggests” friends while LinkedIn not only shows second and third degrees, but it also may bring you to the right candidate based on their employment history. This tactic allows you to reach thousands of potential candidates, which is probably a lot more efficient than scouring your friends or contacts list.

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2. Find a Perfectly Catered Match

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Do you think that all you need to do is tweet out a job listing to your friends? There’s actually more to it. Social media also comes with access to deeper technology and analytical insights, so take advantage of it.
You can easily search for the right connections on your social networks by looking for specific keywords. For instance, say your company is looking for a candidate with an extensive design background who knows Photoshop and is located in San Francisco. You can search for these job-specific keywords on your social networks to find a more catered match. Once you’ve found these matches, you can then, of course, check out their profiles and job history to ensure they are the perfect candidate to be your new co-worker.

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Show Off Your Company Culture

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You know your workplace better than anyone else. So, use social media to show why your organization and company culture is inviting and forward-thinking and how it helped progress the careers of its employees.
For instance many companies are using video testimonials to give a better insight into the journey a candidate takes within the company. This video could then, in turn, be posted on your social networks and blog. The aim here is to bring the organization down to a “human” level, free of typical corporate jargon. It makes it easier for your contacts to realize what your company is all about, and why they should consider the particular position. In a similar vein, recruitment videos, such as the one Twitter recently made, have been extremely successful in reaching potential candidates and giving them a better idea of what it’s like to work at a company.

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Share the Bonuses

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Most companies have a significant referral bonus if the contacts you suggest get hired, and the best way to reach beyond your direct contacts could be to pay it forward. If there’s a $5,000 referral bonus at your company, pick some of your well connected contacts and offer them half the bonus if they know anyone that might be a good fit — you’ll be surprised how many people are connected to talented people looking for new opportunities.
In addition, you can make the process easier and help your friends out by using job matching platforms. Many of these actually allow you to analyze what kind of worker someone may be based on their social network value and work experience. By using these platforms, you gain something that keyword searching can’t give you: thorough insight and background information based on the networks your friends are using on an everyday basis. After all, you can learn a lot about a person by what they’re saying on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If it matches what your company is saying, you may be on your way to finding the perfect colleague.

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Conclusion

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The combination of all of these gives your organization access to the highly sought-after professionals who’ll likely stick around for the long haul. Plus, you have the opportunity to help a friend who may be able to bring real value to your company, which is the ultimate goal for anyone looking to fill a coveted spot. It’s a win-win.
What do you think? What are some other ways you can use social media to help your friends get jobs?